This Easy Cheesy Beef Pasta Skillet recipe is simple and delicious! Pasta tossed in a simple, light and mild tomato sauce and lots of mozzarella cheese. Don’t have a ton of time? This recipe feeds 4 to 6 and is ready in about 30 minutes!
Easy dinner alert! You can have this easy cheesy beef pasta on the table in about 30 minutes. I kid you not! This is one of my go-to recipes in my arsenal of easy-breezy weeknight dinners. It’s important to have recipes like this on hand because this keeps me from hitting up some unhealthy drive-through with a side of fries or something.
#justkeepingitreal
For as long as it takes to heat up a large pot of boiling water, I can sauté onion, garlic and ground beef and throw together a 2 second sauce just in time to dump all those glorious carb-babies and add in allthecheese!
To Make This Cheesy Beef Pasta Skillet you’ll need:
- 1 pound small shaped pasta
- olive oil
- yellow onion
- lean ground beef
- tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce
- beef broth
- red pepper flakes
- mozzarella cheese
- fresh parsley
First things first, bring a large pot of salted (use about 2 tablespoons of salt – this will flavor the pasta as it cooks) water to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large, 12-inch, non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add in 1 diced medium-sized onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until soft and translucent, or for about 5 to 8 minutes. Then add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Once the water is boiling, drop in the pound of pasta around the same time you add in a pound of lean ground beef to the skillet.
Use a wooden spoon to break it up the lean ground beef into small crumbles and cooking until no longer pink. Next, drain and discard any fat, before adding in 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes..
Now season with 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and a pinch of kosher salt. Next, pour in 3/4 to 1 cup of low-sodium beef broth and then a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for a few minutes.
Once al dente, drain the pasta.
Then add it to the pan with the sauce.
And then gently toss to combine.
Lastly, turn the heat off under the pan and add in 2 cups of freshly grated mozzarella cheese. Because the pasta and sauce is hot, it will melt the cheese almost instantly.
Toss until the cheese is melty and ooey-gooey.
Liiiike so. How perfect is that cheese pull?
Now FYI, I’ve tried this with half provolone and mozzarella – which is good, but the sharp provolone really over took the flavors of this dish. So I usually just use mozzarella by itself. However, if you have fontina… that would be delicious as well.
As if this wasn’t cheesy enough…
I sprinkle it with a little freshly grated Parmesan and finely minced parsley for a pop of green and a little freshness.
30 minutes. A handful of ingredients. One sexy, easy cheesy beef pasta skillet meal. Just serve with a leafy green salad and slices of garlic bread.
Do it.
Love easy meals? Check out my growing list of one-pan dinners here.
(ps. sooo cheesy.)
Enjoy! And if you give this Cheesy Beef Pasta Skillet recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Easy Cheesy Beef Pasta Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound small pasta
- 2 teaspoons light olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce, store bought or homemade
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth, up to 1 cup
- 2 cups mozzarella, and/or fontina cheese, grated fresh
- basil, for garnish
- minced parsley, for garnish
- grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the pasta, stir and cook following package directions until al dente.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a 12-inch deep sided skillet on medium-low heat. Add in onion and a pinch of salt, stir and cook until the edges of the onion starts turning slightly golden brown. Then add in the garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Next add in the ground beef, breaking it up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink, drain and discard fat if necessary.
- Add in the tomato paste, Worcestershire and black pepper, stir and cook 2 to 3 minutes before adding in the broth, stirring to combine.
- Drain and add in the pasta and gently toss. Then and in all of the mozzarella cheese. Toss until melted and serve with minced fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
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THANK YOU in advance for your support!
This looks so good, Laurie! And I love having a different recipe for ground beef besides just spaghetti and meat sauce. We will be trying this asap!!
Thank you, Jane! Enjoy!
My Hubby will love this pasta! Looks so delicious and flavorful!
Thank you, Anna! Enjoy! ❤️
I just made this! Really good thank you.
I’m so glad, Heather!
Looks good but the pasta is missing from the recipe.
Gah! And it’s the best part too! I’ve added it in to the recipe. Thanks! Good looking out Barb!
So simple and so inviting ! Thank you !
Thank YOU! I hope you give it a try!
Sounds perfect…for a quick weeknight meal or when you have been working to late outside and ncome in are starving!!!
Another great quick meal from you!!!
I love skillet meals for that same reason!
I have a question. This looks delicious, but can the leftovers be frozen in individual servings?
I don’t see why not, Heidi! 🙂
Such a cozy, comforting, and easy to prepare dish, Laurie! Thank you!
I used Mozzarella cheese and slightly less chili pepper flakes – timid taste buds! – along with a fun shaped pasta from Italy called Trottole al Bronzo (spinning tops). The Parmesan added just the perfect amount of saltiness for us.
Next time, I’ll take your suggestion to use Fontina cheese which I agree would be very tasty too.
I think this recipe is not only delicious and filling, but is also very economical for families during these challenging price hikes for food stuffs.
Thank you for your creativity and for sharing your food world with your readers!
“Cheers” Laurie, from the Canadian prairies!